Pass type elevator door



Aug. 16, 1932. P. R. SAURER 1,872,350

PASS TYPE ELEVATOR DOOR Filed April 5. 1930 p BY W ATTORNEY.

Patented Aug. 16, 1932 we e?wu PAUL SHEER, F FLOR-AL rent, New roan, Assam r0. mnrnnntnconmnv:

' or BROOKLYN, new YORK, A oonronerion or nnwvonx;

. nnsswrn nnnvnron noon Application meanprn 5,;1930; Serial No. 441,826.,

'Myinvent-ion: relates tfo pass type elevator position, to occupy aplane parallel with the door closing an opening upon the floor above orb-slow the opening-closed by the doors-under consideration:

A pass type doorot one type is so constructed that both sections, when the-door is closed, are positioned in the'same vertical plane and have a=horizontal component of movement during the opening and-closing movement. to bring: them) Within the shaft to'an-iextentto pass avclosed' door at an adj acentopening... v

90 The doorofniypresent invention, how yer, is.d:i=rected to a'pass type door in which the two" sections forming: the door have movement vin: parallelplanes, thus: positioning;th esupper door section With-in the shaft to a greater extent than the lower 'doorsec tion, and forminga pocket, above the lower section and. between the upper section and the Wall of the'shaft, capable of receiving the lowersection closingvthe opening upon. the

floor above.

lVith this construction it isv essential to provide What isknlown" as an extension lintcl closing the top of the pocket under normal conditions, this lintel, however, being yielda-hle so as to be displaced by the lgwer section of a-door olosi'ngan opening immediately above the pocket With the openinn; of 'said last named door.

The extension lintel originally was mounted upon the lintel of the door opening, although the practice with a door of one manufacture, at the present time, is to mount this lintel upon the top of theupper door section.

The purpose of the lintel is to form a barrier across the pocketivhen the doors upon adjacent floors are-in the closed positionand thus prevent the passage-of fla1nes,sn1oke or fumesbetween-thefloors-of a building and the elevator shaft. Of course this-is not ab solute, since certain clearances must he. provided. I

, My invention relates: to improvementsin: the construction of the: movable orextension: lintel carried hyadoor' section: so asto over- 1 come nany of the, difficultiesresulting from the-employment, inthe door structure of such a linteh Prior to :my invention, the lint l was formed of a rolled anglezba'r and: pomessjed consid w erableweight Since-thetwo sections oi the door must beof'substantially the same weight, the-addition ofra' heavy member to thesupper section necessitated av correspondingv addi tion-of weight torthedowerseotion". Furthermore, it is required that extension lintels be so constructed that inthe event. of fire 'ad-T jacent thee-doors; thexlintelsshallbe autosmatically locked against pivotal movement so as to minimize likelihood of 'Water damage in the event of thedirection of a stream of wateragainst the lintel. In laboratory tests upon: which the grantingvof Ethe fire under- Writers labels is dependent, a door:isi-:sub-. jected to anwelevated temperature and a stream-of water is then directed against'the door and'against thelintel swhen such is em bodied'iri the door, and the'approvalof the door is: dependent upon the extension lintel remaining immovable under thistest."

-With the above conditions inmind,'I have provided a pass type door inwhich the upper section carries: an extension 'lintel of light sheet metal construction which may not only be'readily connected with the door,-but which 99 may be conveniently reinforced at essentialpoints to impart sufficient rigidity: to the lintel structure without'any substantial increase inits'weight. f r I alsovmou ntu ponthe lintel a fusible link 99' suo b orted, stop member which, in the event of fire will eifectively-prevent-pivotal move ment of the-lintel. This stop'mechanism is so located asto'be exposed upononeside of p the lintel so as to be immediately'afiected by any substantial elevation of temperature about the door, the thin metal stock forming the lintel ensuring that any heat to which the door and the lintel may be. exposed upon the other side thereof will be rapidly con- 100 ducted to the fusible support for the lock member.

Another advantage of the construction of my invention is the elimination of unneces.

lower section, and a pocket is formed above said lower section and between said upper section and the wallof'the shaft, an extension lintel formed of sheet metal bent to provide a top plate of a width substantially spanning the top of said pocket, a rear plate sub stantially closing the space between said top plate and the top of the upper door section, and a short counterweighting flange projecting from the bottom of said rear plate and parallel with said top plate, hinge brackets mounted upon the top of said upper door sec tion, co-operating hinge brackets carried by said top plate, and a hinge pin co-operating with said brackets; and in such other novel features of construction and combination of parts as are'her'einafter set forth and described, and more particularly pointed out in the claims hereto appended.

Referring to the drawing,

Fig 1 is a condensed view in vertical section of a pass type door embodying the invention; V

. Fig. 2 is a laterally condensed view of the upper portion of the upper section from the left of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the upper door section with portions of the top plate and the extension lintel broken away.

Like numerals refer to like parts throughout the several views.

In the embodiment of the invention shown in the drawing, the wall of the shaft 10 has a' door opening 11 therein, the sill ofthis opening being shown at 12 and the lintel at 13.: Secured within-the shaft in the usual manner-is a guide rail structure of the usual construction containing a wall angle 14: and a metal channel, the sidefianges 15 and 16 of which form parallel guides, oneof which as Nico-operates with the upper section of the door shown in the drawing, andthe other,

15 of which, co-operates with the lower section of the door closing the opening imme diately above, not shown in the drawing.

' The guides 15 and 16 extend substantially to the meeting line of the two door sections, a similar guide structure, including guide 1 iails 17 and 18, extending downwardiv from box 19. The detailed construction of the lower door section 21 is old and well known and 1s lrrelevantto the present lnventlon. The

upper door section 20, as to all details thereof excepting those to be hereinafter described, is also old and well known and need not be described; Each of these sections includes a metal sheathed,wooden panel mounted within an angle metal frame.

The panel in'the upper door section 20 above the astragal 23is located in its entirety within the shaft a distance such as to form, between it and above the section 21,

a pocket indicated at 2 1 of sufficient width to receive the lower part of the panel of a door section like 21 closing the door opening immediately above that shown in the drawing and indicated in dotted lines in Fig. 1.

Secured to the top bar of the angle metal frame of the section 20 is an angle bar, one flange 25 of which seats upon said top bar, and the other flange 26 of which projects up wardly of said top bar in substantially the 7 same plane as the inwardly projected angle of said frame. The flange 26, in order to reduce the weight of the upper door section, is cut away as shown more particularly in Fig. 2, only suflicient of this flange remaining to provide suitable means for mounting an extension sill structure upon the door section and to afford stops for limiting the amount of pivotal movement of this lintel, and maintaining it upon a substantially horizontal plane, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2. Clearance must be provided adjacent the flange 25 to permit the free swinging movement of this extension sill.

Eiveted or otherwise secured to the retained portions of the flange 26 are hinge fittings 27 and 28, by means of which and the angle bar 2526 the extension sill may be attached to the top bar of the upper section 20.

This extension sill is made of heavy gauge sheet metal, so bent as to provide a top plate 29, a rear plate 30 and a counterweighting flange 31 extending toward the flange 26 and parallel with the top plate 29. The free edge of the plate 29 is bent upon itself, as shown 3 rpvaezo united byliingepins 35'iand 36 respectively;

Secured to the rear plate 30is azsheetmetal stripp37 extending throughout ,the entire length o-f's'aid plate'and seating upon the connterweighting flange 3 1, this metal strip notonlyrst-ilfening the flange 31 and therear plate at this point, but also adding suflicient weighti'to overbalance the plate 29 at all times and thus normally maintain said plate in a substantially hori'zontal'positi'on, as shown in .1, and "extendingsubstantially across the top of the pocket:24 whereit may be'engaged by thel'ower section of the door closing the openingimmediately above that shown in the drawing; i i

Vitlrthe above construction, the extension lintel possesses sufficient rigidity to meet-all of the conditions required :in' a pass type door while adding a minimumof weight to the upper door section 20. An angle, similar to'th'at having the flanges 25 and 26, iscommonly used in freight elevator doors, and serves as a dame angle. With the construc tion shown in the drawing, however, the weight of metal removed from the flange 26 is suhiciently great to compensate, in large measure, for the weight of the metal in the extension sill itself, and this cutting away of the flange is permitted since the rear plate 30 of the extension lintel-structureperforms all of the functions heretofore performed by a continuousflange 26, excepting the reinforcement of the too barof the door section 20, which is effected by the flange 25 in the construction shown;

Hence, by the use of sheet metal formed and reinforced in the manner described, an extension lintel may be incorporated in the door section with the addition of very little weight as compared with a standard counterbalanced door structure of the same'dimensions. 7

It isrequired, lIl labelled doors, that the extension lintel shall be provided with means,

responsive to an elevated temperature, by which the extension lintel maybe locked against pivotal movement when occasion requires. To meet this condition, I mount upon the topplate 29,a forked fitting 38 in which is mounted, by means of a pivot 39, a lock member or link 40. Also carried by the top plate 29' is a second forked fitting 41 adapted to receive one endof the link 40; This fitting 41 has openings thereinadapted to receive a rivet 42 formed of metal fusible at a low temperature, and generally known as a fusible link, the lock member or link 40 having an opening therethrough for receiving said rivet 42.

The cutaway portion of the flange 26 affords clearance for the passage of the fittings 38 and 41 and the link 40, so that this flange does not interfere with the free pivotal movement of the extension lintel.

- The fittings 38 and 41are pendant from the top; platei29 and located closely adjacentthe axis of the hinge pins 35 and 36 where'they are fully exposed withinthe'pocket 24. The Slilttll VOlllHI'Q of metal in. the top plate29 will cause it to heat up rapidly'in the event of the-exposure ofthe top of this plate, or of the rear plate 30, to an'elev'ated temperature, thus permitting arapid conduction of heat to the bracket 41'and bolt 42 in the event of lfire within shaft so as to quickly fuse the mate rial of the rivet 42.

The operation of the herein described structure is substantially as follows:-

Pass type doors are used to close door openings, the lintels of which are close to the ceiling, there sometimes being only 18 or 20 inches, or even less, between the lintel at one door opening and the sill at the opening im mediate-1y above. Where this distance, however, is less'than the height of a door section, the ordinary counterbalanced type of door cannot be used and a pass type door is usually employed.- In fact, the pass type'door meets conditions where other types of doors cannot be used. It is essentially what is known as a freight elevator door, not being suitable for use in shafts for'ord'inary passei'iger elevators.

In the construction of door heroin described, the use of sheet metal in the extenf s'ion 'lintel not only reduces the weight of metal necessary in the production of the upper door sectiombut ensures, under normal conditions, great ease of movement of the linjtel when necessary because ofthe opening of thedoor carrying same or a door at the floor immediately above. As compared with the ordinary counterbalanced door, the lintel structure does not materially increase the weight of the door since the weight of the cutout-portion of the angle 26 will almost equal that of the entire extension lintel structure. The dimensions of the topplate 29 and rear plate 80 may be such as to afford a very effective barrier about the top of the upper door section without adding materially tothe weight of the structure.

Under normal working conditions, the extension .lintel and the parts appurtenant theretowill be in the position as shown more I particularly in F ig. 1 of the drawing, the top plate 29 being positioned at right angles to the plane of movement of the door sections and extending toward the shaft to a point 1 adjacent the wall so as to substantially close the top of the pocket 24. VVhen-the top flange 29is in this position, the back flange 30 will extend downwardlyclose to the flange 26 of the flame angle 2526 so as to effectively close the space belowthe top plate 29 and the flange 25. Under normal conditions, the lock member or link 40 will be held'by the fusible rivet or link 42 below and closely adjacent the top pla'te'29between the axis of the hinge pins q of the shaft.

of the flange 26 will afford clearance for the 35 and36 upon which said plate turns and the wall'of the shaft.

In opening the door shown in the drawing, the section ascends and the section 21 descends, the former moving along the guide or track 16, and the latter along the guide or track 18. Following the initial upward movement of the section 20, the top plate 29 will engage the bottom of the lower door section at the floor above, thus causing the extension lintel to rotate about the hinge pins and 36 with the continued upward movement of the door section.

If the door above be opened, the lower door section, corresponding with the section 21, in its descent will engage the top plate 29 and operate it in the manner above described, this section entering the pocket 24 and passing the extension lintel when so entering the pocket. Hence, the extension lintel normally closes the top of the pocket 24 when the door with which it is associated is closed,butduring the opening movement of this door, or of the door at the floor above, has a swinging movement to permit the two sections to pass each other. Upon the closing of either section, the overweight of the flange .30 will restore the extension lintel to its normal position.

By supporting the link in brackets depending from the top plate 29 closely adjacent the axis of the hinge pins 35 and 36, and between same and the wall of the shaft, the weight of these parts is no material factor in the operation of the extensible lintel. This locating of the stop member or link 40 brings it close to the face of the door section 20 presented toward the wall of the shaft, so that in the event of the fusing of the rivet 42, the lock member or link 40 will turn upon the pivot 39 and drop to the position shown in dotted lines in Fig. 2 where the lower portion of the link will be closely adjacent the top, or the face of the angle metal frame, of the door section 20 presented towards the wall As stated, the cutaway portion brackets .38 and 4:1 and for the link 40 supported thereby.

As a result of the locking member or link i0 falling into this engaging position with the top bar of the section 20, rocking movement of the lintel, in the manner above described, is prevented, and the long leverage at which this locking member or link acts in relation to said top bar will resist the force of any stream of water which may be directed against the top plate 29.

The upwardly projecting flange portions 26 will ordinarily be located closely adjacent the opposite end of the extension lintel, although with widedoors additional hinge con nections may be used to aiford a support for the lintel intermediate its ends.

By making :the extension lintel of sheet metal, as described, not only is the manufacture of the door very much simplified, but greater accuracy can be secured since the 11ntel may be bent to form, trued up and produced with any desired length by a simple welding and grinding operation. The attachment of the hinge members 33 and 34 to the lintel is very much simplified, and this is also true of the attachment of the hinge fittings 27 and 28 to the door structure. The simplification of the manufacturing problems and the saving of weight, not only'in the lintel itselfbut in the lower door section, are matters of great moment. Furthermore, the use of sheet metal greatly facilitates the mounting of the locking member or link 40 upon the top plate 29,.and a relation of parts is secured which has been found to give highly satisfactory results.

It is not my intention to limit the invention to the precise details of construction shown in the accompanying drawing, it being apparent that such may be departed from while still preserving all of the desirable characteristics of the structure shown in the drawmg.

Having described the invention, what l claim as new and desire to have protected by Letters Patent, is

1. A pass type elevator door embodying therein upper and lower counterweighting sections, flexible connections between said sections, and parallel guides therefor, whereby said upper section is spaced inwardly of the shaft a distance approximately equalling the thickness of the lower section, and a pocket is formed above said lower section and between said upper section and the wall of the shaft, an extension lintel formed of sheet metal bent to provide a top plate of a width substantially spanning the top of said pocket, a rear plat-e substantially closing the space between said top plate and the top of the upper door section, and a short counterweighting flange projecting from the bottom of said rear plate and parallel with said top plate, hinge brackets mounted upon the top of said upper door section, co-operating hinge brackets carried by said top plate, and a hinge pin co-operating with said brackets.

2. A pass type elevator door embodying therein upper and lower counterweighting sections, flexible connections between said sections, and parallel guides therefor, whereby said upper section is spaced inwardly of the shaft a distance approximately equalling the thickness of the lower section, and a pocket is formed above said lower section and between said upper section and the wall of the shaft, an angle metal frame for said upper door section, an angle bar having one flange secured to the top bar of said angle metal frame, and a second flange projecting upwardly therefrom and having a cutout portion, an extension lintel formed of sheet metal bent to provide atop plate of a width substantially spanning the top of said pocket, a rear plate substantially closing the space between said top plate and the top of the upper door section, and a short counterweighting flange projecting from the bottom of said rear plate and parallel with said top plate, hinge brackets mounted upon said upwardly extending flange adjacent the cutout portion thereof, co-operating hinge brackets carried by said top plate, and a hinge pin co-operating with said brackets.

8. A pass type elevator door embodying therein upper and lower counterweighting sections, flexible connections between said sections, and parallel guides therefor, Whereby said upper section is spaced inwardly of the shaft a distance approximately equal ling the thickness of the lower section, and a pocket is formed above said lower section 1 and between said upper section and the wall of the shaft, an angle metal frame for said upper door section, an angle bar having one flange secured to the top bar of saidangle metal frame, and a second flange projecting upwardly therefrom and having a cutout por tion, an extension lintel formed of sheet metal bent to provide a top plate of a width substan tially spanning the top of said pocket, a rear plate substantially closing the space between said top plate and the top of the upper door section, and a short counterweighting flange projecting from the bottom of said rear plate and parallel with said top plate, hingebrackets mounted upon said upwardly extending flange adjacent the cutout portion thereof, co-operating hinge brackets carried by said top plate, a hinge pin cooperating with said brackets, a forked fitting carried by said top plate, a stop member pivotally mounted in said fitting and of a length to engage the face of said upper door section, a second forked fitting adapted to receive said stop member, and fusible means retaining said stop member in said bracket and out of engaging relation with the door.

4. A pass type elevator door embodying therein upper and lower counterweighting sections, flexible connections between said sections, and parallel guides therefor, whereby said upper section is spaced inwardly of the shaft a distance approximately equalling the thickness of the lower section, and a pocket is formed above said lower section and between said upper section and the wall of the shaft,'an angle metal frame for said upper door section, an angle bar having one flange secured to the top bar of saidangle metal frame, and a second flange projecting upwardly therefrom and having a cutout portion, an extension lintel formed of sheet metal bent to provide a top plate of a width substantially spanning the top of said pocket, a rear plate substantially closing thespace between said top plate and the top of the upper door section, and a short counterweighting flangeproj ectingfrom the bottom of said rear: plate and parallel withsaid top plate, hinge lorackets mounted uponsaid upward ly extending flange adj acentthe cutout portion thereof, co-operating hinge brackets carried bysaid'top plate, a hinge pin coeoperat withl'sa-id brackets, a forkeditting car ried by said top. plate betweengthe plane of the axis of said hinge pins and the wall of the sl1aft=,;andadjacent the cutout portion of said upwardly r-extending flange, a stop member pivo ilyniounted inasaidefitti-ng and of a to engage the face of saidupper door sect-ion, a second. forked-fitting adapt-edy to restop member, and fusible means retaining said stop member in said bracket and out of engaging-relation.withthe door. 5. A pass type elevator doorerfibodying therein upper and lower counterweighting sections, flexible connections between saidsections, and; parallel guides therefor, whereby said upper section-is; spaced inwardly? of the shaft a. distance approximately equalling the thickness of the lower section, and a pocket is formed above said-lower section and between said upper section and the wall of the shaft, an extension lintel formed of sheet metal bent toprovide a top plate of a width substantially spanning the top of saidpocket, a rear plate substantially closingthespace between said toppla-te andthe top of the upper' door section, 'a short counterweighting flange projecting from the bottomofsaid rear plate :and parallel with said top plate, and astiflening strip securedto adjacent portions of said rear plate andsaidcounten weighting'fiange, hinge brackets mounted upon; the top of' saidupper door section, co.- operating hinge brackets carried bysaidytop plate, and a hinge pin co-operating with said brackets. V 7 v 65A pass type elevator door embodying therein upper and lower counterweighting sections, flexible connections between said sections, and parallel guides therefor, whereby said upper section is spaced inwardly of the shaft a distance approximately equalling the thickness of the lower section, and a pocket is formed above said lower section and between said upper section and the wall of the shaft, an angle metal frame for said upper door section, an angle bar having one flange secured to the top bar of said angle metal frame, and a second flange projecting l ll upwardly therefrom and having a cutout' portion, an extension lintel formed of sheet metal bent to provide a top plate of a width substantially spanning the top of said pocket, a rear plate substantially closing the space between said top plate and the top of the upper door section, a short counterweighting flange "projecting from the bottom of said rear plate and parallel with said top plate, and a stiffening strip secured to adjacent portions of said rear plate and said counterweighting flange, hinge brackets mounted upon said upwardly extending flange adjacent the cutout portion thereof, co-operating hinge brackets carried by said top plate,

'- a hinge pin cor-operating with said brackets,

a forked fitting carried by said top plate between the plane of the axis of said hinge pins and the wall of the shaft, and adjacent the cutout portion of said upwardly extending i flange, a lock, member pivotallymounted in said fitting and of a length to engage the face of said upper door section, a second forked fitting adapted to receive said stop member, and fusible means retaining said stop mem- 15ber in said bracket-and out of engaging relation with the door. 7

7. A pass type elevator door embodying therein upper and lower counterweighting sections, flexible connections between said-seczo tions, and parallel guides therefor, whereby said upper section is spaced inwardly of the shaft a distance approximately equalling the thickness of the lower section, and a pocket is formed above said lower section and between 25 said upper section and the wall of the shaft,

an extension lint-el' formed of sheet metal bent to provide a top plate of a width substantially spanning the top of said pocket and having its free edge formed to reinforce 80 said top plate, a rear plate substantially closing the space between said top plate and the top of the upper door section, and a short counterweighting flange projecting from the bottom of said rear plate and parallel with a said top plate, hinge brackets mounted upon the top of said upper door'section, co-operating hinge brackets carried by said top plate, and a hinge pinco-operating with said brackets.

'10 In witness whereof I have hereunto aflixed my signature this 31st day of March, 1930. PAUL R. SAURER. 

